Emrys Riddle and the Sorcerer's Stone (Book 1 of the Four Ribbons Series)

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Time Of Our Lives

When I returned to the Leaky Cauldron, my mum met my eyes over the shoulder of a man with white blonde hair and I motioned toward the door leading out of the pub, before quietly making my way in that direction. I knew the man she was talking to, and he was on the list of people neither of us wanted me to meet, or be around, He had served my dad and as far my mom knew, he still did; no matter what he claimed. A story that I often asked about, was the one that made my mom brave in my eyes, the night she ran away while the whole world erupted into celebration; the night my father died. We both of course owed it to Harry James Potter, the boy who lived.

After waiting outside for my mother to finish her very unwanted conversation, we went home; it wasn't much, a small cottage in the country, just big enough for the two of us. I put my stuff in the small room that I had to myself before going into the kitchen to help my mum with dinner.

" Are you exited?" My mum asked as she stirred the pot of vegetables and I shrugged in response as I pulled myself up on to the counter top. " What house are you hoping for?" she asked.

" What house were you in?"

" Me?" She smiled. " I was a Slytherin, just my father, and my mother."

" So, I'm gonna be a Slytherin too." I muttered and she paused in her stirring before moving the pot off the burner and turning to take my hands in hers. " Something I've learned, Em, is that we always have a choice. If you are a Slyherin, then I know that you will never give up. If you are a Ravenclaw, then I know you will be smart with your choices. If you are Hufflepuff, then I succeeded in raising you to be kind and hard working. If you are Gryffindor, then I know you will be brave. Emrys, no matter what path you will take, I will always be proud of you, because I know you will do great things."

" But...but what if I turn out just like him?" I asked. Her smile disappeared and her grip on my hands tightened. " You are nothing like your father, Emrys. You want to know why?" She asked before placing a hand on my cheek, her smile returning. " Because you are loved, and love is the greatest power of all."

I thought over her words as she went back to making dinner, and silently dreaded the next few days of having to wait. Was I kind? Was I smart? Was I brave? Was I willing to do what it took?

************

As I approached the wall that would take me onto the platform, I spotted Harry talking with a group of red heads. My mother wanted to see me off, but didn't, knowing that it would be to dangerous.

" Hello." I greeted and Potter nodded in return before we both watched as three of the red heads disappeared onto the platform. " Oh, are you off to Hogwarts too?" The mother of the group asked and I nodded. " well, you go along, dear, we were just showing him how to get to the train."

" Thank you." I said politely before pushing my cart with all my strength toward the wall. The noise of the crowd reached my ears as I stepped through, and I glanced back with a grin on my face. It didn't take me long to find a compartment, though most of them were full already. The compartment I chose, held a young man with poufy, jade green hair that was short on the sides and in the back, while his eyes took on the appearance of a kaleidoscope, shifting from one color to the next in seconds " Is it alright if I sit here?" I asked.

" Whatever." He shrugged and I plopped down in the seat across from him. " I'm Emrys." I told him.

" Spencer Levi." He returned.

The train ride was quiet for the first few minutes, until we were joined by two others, who were to deep into an argument about food to introduce themselves. One was a girl with a boyish pixie cut and blue eyes, while the other, who was obviously American, was a girl with short blue grey hair and dark brown eyes. When they finally stopped arguing, they introduced themselves, the American was Jackie McNeil and the blonde was Cassiel Brooks, but she told us to call her Cass.

The four of us got along really well, and by the time the train pulled into the station, the four of us were laughing and having the time of our lives.